Musical performers include Bremen Town, Brad Elijah and Way Out West Band

ATASCADERO — The annual Atascadero 4th of July Music Festival is back and ready to celebrate after having to cancel last year’s event due to the pandemic. 

The 4th of July Music Festival, formally known as the 4th of July Bluegrass Freedom Festival, will occur on Thursday, Jul. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Atascadero Lake Park. The event celebrates freedom and Independence Day lakeside under the shady oaks within the park with three great musical acts for an evening filled with music, food, drinks, vendors, family fun, kids’ amusements, and the playground.

The festival in previous years was specifically Bluegrass music; this year, it has been renamed the Atascadero 4th of July Music Festival to include more varieties of “Americana” music.

The committee explained that Americana music shares the diverse and varied musical traditions that are the musical fabric of the United States. This includes folk, gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and other musical influences. 

Music begins at 4 p.m. with Bremen Town, followed by Brad Elijah and ending with the Way Out West Band. Bremen Town is a Central Coast Americana folk band and a crowd favorite, an eccentric group made up of Jim Highland, Thomas Zaldivar, and Kaytee Greenaway.

Brad Elijah is a singer-songwriter bringing his unique sound to the lineup. Elijah has traveled throughout the nation singing in different venues, weddings, conferences, night clubs and more.

He loves singing and sharing his love for music to all ages and has written over 300 songs.

Elijah and his wife Eileen and three children live in Templeton. He is a Pastor at Newday Church in Paso Robles. The Music Festival ends with the Way Out West Band, which has Ameripolitan roots in Country, a tight harmony, and a Hot Swing to their set. The band features Nashville transplants, Valerie Powers on vocals and percussion, and Kelly Powers also on vocals, lead guitar, and fiddle. Wayne Pearson, a local rancher on acoustic guitar, Bob Hamilton, a pedal steel guitarist, and Vance Gibbon, on bass.

General Admission is free. However, to be closer to the music, there is a reserved VIP area for $10 per person. To secure the front row seats, it’s $20 for VIP Plus.

Tickets are available online at Atascadero4thofJuly.org.

This year’s Atascadero 4th of July Music Festival is a fun, safe way to celebrate this monumental year and enjoy dancing under the beautiful sky.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the Atascadero Colony Days Parade and the committee is grateful for the following sponsors and their support: 76, Avila Traffic, City of Atascadero, Visit Atascadero, Hopper Media, Greenaway Appraisals, and The Hope Chest Emporium. For more information, visit Atascadero4thofJuly.org.

For sponsorship or volunteering, please email info@colonydays.org.